The Taliban on Thursday rejected a United Nations report that blamed it and other insurgent groups for 76 percent of all civilian casualties in Afghanistan.

Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid said the report, released Tuesday, was part of a Pentagon decision to create a propaganda campaign against the Taliban, accusing the group of attacks on civilians. He said the campaign is aimed at turning the people against the Taliban, and he said the Taliban reject that.

The United Nations representative in Afghanistan, he said, should stop this propaganda and any actions aimed at destroying the Taliban, and accept the reality on the ground.

The U.N. report said the human cost of the Afghan conflict is escalating, with killings and attacks on children by the Taliban and other insurgent groups soaring.

Afghan children and women are increasingly bearing the brunt of the conflict, being killed and wounded in their homes and communities in greater numbers than ever, said Staffan de Mistura, special representative of the U.N. secretary-general.

In the first six months of this year, 55 percent more children were killed or wounded by the Taliban and other anti-government groups than in the same period in 2009. The number of women killed or wounded by the Taliban and other insurgents increased by six percent.

From January 1 to June 30, 2010, the UNAMA Human Rights Unit documented a total of 3,268 civilian casualties, including 1,271 deaths and 1,997 injuries.

Anti-government forces were responsible for 2,477 casualties. That is 76 percent of all casualties, up 53 percent from 2009.

Pro-government forces, including the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) and Afghan security forces, were responsible for 386 civilian casualties, 12 percent of all casualties, down from 30 percent in 2009, the report said.

soundoff(94 Responses)

Mark

-Silhouette- You have no clue about what goes on in Afghanistan. Are you currently over there. . .do you actually know what you are talking about. Or are you a 30 year old grad student who thinks you know about the world b/c you visited Egypt once and go to ACLU meetings. Grow up, unless you have been to Afghanistan and seen first hand the Taliban's indifference toward the lives of the locals, you have no room to question tactics of the US military. And buy the way, "cowardly tactics" are laying pressure plate IEDs that blow up a car full of civilians en route to the Hajj, not the military selectively targeting known Taliban. Nice try.

CNN, NBC, ABC, CBS, FOX, PBS, the New York Times and the Washington Post have never called the millions killed by U.S. military in Korea, Vietnam, Laos, along with the thousands in the Dominican Republic, Afghanistan, Iraq, and the hundreds in Lebanon, Libya, Sudan, Grenada, Somalia and Yemen, mass-murder. The monolithic, Pentagon-fed, conglomerate owned U.S. media has presented each one of these invasions as just, and, as a way of excusing the killing, reminded us that ‘war is war.’

However, war was never declared during any of these death bringing activities. They were called “police actions,” ‘peace keeping’ or ‘protective’ military interventions. In every case, initially, Congress carefully avoided calling any of these invasions a war.

Shooting people dead in their very own country, more often than not, in their very own residences is simply mass-murder, whether justified as anti-communism, anti-terrorism or the protection of capital investments. One doesn’t have to be Einstein himself to see this clearly.
Cluster bombs are in the news again, thanks to a recent report from Amnesty International.

The human rights agency has confirmed that 35 women and children were killed following the latest US attacks on an alleged al-Qaeda hideout in Yemen. Initially, there were attempts to bury the story, and Yemen officially denied that civilians were killed as a result of the December 17 attack on al-Majala in southern Yemen. However, it has been simply impossible to conceal what is now considered the largest loss of life in one single US attack in the country.

All of those that are commenting today, just think about it. If you were in Afghanistan, next to the Taliban, you wouldn't be to brave to say anything, and if you did, you'd lose your dumb head. Go over there if you are so brave, you dishonor our Soldiers when you side with the Taliban, I dare you! Go over there.

Always said a definition of a terrorist is ..... and you never find a better one .... terrorist is a person who kills everyone including his own people, friends and family, truely a wacko ...... If you have a better one, happy to read it, Tell this to a muslims supporting terrorists, and watch the look on their face, it is wanderful it leave a lasting impression, they look scared and rattled, its a great feeling ..... take care and I married a muslim ....

There were these two taliba fathers sitting on a corner in downtown kabul. One father pulls out his wallet and shows a picture of his son to the other taliban dad." Yanni, this is my son achmed. he was a car bomber and is now a martyr" The other taliban dad looks at the picture and knods his head in agreement. He then pulls out his wallet and shows a picture to the first taliban dad. "This is alle ben schemer. He too is a martyr for allah." Both dads sat there awhile in silence looking at the pictures of their sons. Finally one guy said, "My...they blow up so fast."

Wow ... Pretty easy to say anything you want about a subject you know nothing of in a place you've never been about people you've never met. All evidence points to the fact that there is a WAR happening and civilian casualties are occuring on both sides. The US forces are doing what is possible to minimize civilian casualities. The Taliban are killing the children and wives of anyone that supports the US. I know this because I spent a year there and am going back in December. If you disagree CITE your references or hop a plain over there and see for yourself. (I don't think your open mindedness will help you walking down the street in that country, trust me.)

Wow ... Pretty easy to say anything you want about a subject you know nothing of in a place you've never been about people you've never met (actually I am from there and you're not, so let me correct you on 95% of misinformation you just spilled)

All evidence points to the fact that there is a WAR happening (voila!!!) and civilian casualties are occuring on both sides (civillian casualties are happening only on one side, and in massive numbers. The other party is an invader, armed to its teeth and has no clue what they are doing there. Their bosses know though, and they will make sure that you stick around there for a very long period of time)
The US forces are doing what is possible to minimize civilian casualities (are you out of your mind? they even took the dumb pilot out of the drone so they can kill living beings like a video game. You want me to list you the average of drone attacks that are happening there everyday, something that is not even mentioned in the news here let alone being reported).

The Taliban are killing the children and wives of anyone that supports the US (US is killing everyone indiscretley, and that is what you should be worried about. What they do in their own country with their own people, no matter how absurd or wrong, is none of your business).
I know this because I spent a year there and am going back in December (I sincereley hope you make it back in one piece).
If you disagree CITE your references or hop a plain over there and see for yourself. (I don't think your open mindedness will help you walking down the street in that country, trust me.) What you need to really question is this – how old are these 'suicide bombings? 15, 20 years old? Islam is 1400 years old. What were these people doing 30 or 40 years ago? why were they not doing suicide bombings then? The answer to that is that this is a cursed generation that was compromised by your barbarious regime because of their satanic cult following which leads them to beleive that they must eradicate islam in order to serve their jew masters. Try putting your gun down, and look at the bigger picture, follow timelines and events, you'll start seeing everything the way it really is.

Islam uses any excuse to defend bad manors of your terroist buddies, if osma did not attack the US or whoever, if they did, but your attacking Americans now, let's see, you stop attacking American for say one year they will go home you (blank,) this is what happened in Iraq, they stopped fighting the Americans, Americans don't wish to be there, so leave them alone and they will leave you alone, stopping being or supporting terorists, terrorist kills eveyone and everybody including your friends and family, all maytr's great, go out and practice being a matyr at home, save the rest of the world from your nut job religion and it crazy beliefs, Ban islam

Hypocrisy at its best. The Taliban is the ultimate propaganda machine....AGAINST ITS OWN PEOPLE IN ITS OWN COUNTRY. Hey, all sides of an issue use propaganda in some shape or form. But the Taliban has used it to oppress the Afghan people for waaaaaay too long and they need to go away.

Spare me. Like the Taliban has any credibility. I'm not saying that the UN is 100% truthful, but the Taliban is ZERO. Their warped interpretation of their noble eligion mandates them to lie during jihad. Why even print it.

Drones are deployed after extensive surveillance & intelligence reports to ensure only the intended targets are elliminated. Once in a while something goes wrong technically which results in civilian casualties. However civilians are never the intended targets. Taliban will think nothing of strapping on a bomp and detonating it in a crowded market killing innocent civilians indiscriminately, folks who have nothing to do with the US military who the Taliban are fighting.

In New York, a mosque has been approved to be built near the 911 site after due process and amidst public outcry. Never the less it will be built. Try building a Christian church in Afghanistan and see how long the building will last let alone be completed. In the US we have due process & freedom. In Afghanistan, you have 50,000 year old mindsets who are the minority and make up laws that do not favor women, childre & education.

The drones are deployed after extensive surveillance & intelligence reports, ensuring that only the intended targets will be elliminated. On ocassion, something will go wrong technically which results in civilian casualties. But they are never the intended targets. Taliban on the other hand will think nothing of strapping on a bomb and detonating it in a crowded market place where women, children are gathered.

In New York, a mosque has been approved to be constructed near the 911 site after due process amidst public outcry. But never the less, it has been approved to be built. Try building a Christian church in Afghanistan and see how long the building will stand let alone anyone dare worship in it.

In US we have due process & freedom. Over there, 50,000 year old mindsets make up the law that unfortunately does not fare well for women, children & education.

Taiban kills to coerce belief as they do. If Afghans believed as Taiban the killing would stop. Obviously, Afghans are unwilling to accept Taiban beliefs. None of us are willing to be coerce into anything.

I'm getting sick and tired of reading all this right-wing bla-bla-bla!Have these people no brains whatsoever?After all,we have absolutely no right to even be in Afghanistan since it's their country,not ours!!!

Hey retard, just keep in my the massacres you have committed, during which you experienced 1/100th the human life loss of what you inflicted on innocent people in places all over the world.....thats the loss you should be thinking about. And quit the stupid rhetoric of how your 'boys' blood is the price of 'freedom' folks are enjoying here. Its absolute BS, if you hadn't killed so many people throughout your power trip, the world would be a much better place.

Bite me you lefty pansy waste. You know NOTHING about the real world. You sit on your lard infested behind and flap your jaw about things about which you have NO knowledge. The WORLD is a tough neighborhood, you either carry a big stick or you get rolled. Of course you wouldn't know that because you just sit on your couch preaching ludicrous nonsense, eating Dorito's and living in wonderland. Why don't you take your big fat behind over to Afghanistan and preach some love and peace there and see just how far you FREEDOM takes you?

Thousands of years old civilizations... Kill women who want to be independent, kill children who want to go to school, kill ANYONE who can't recite the Koran, teach children how to kill, and praise those who kill in the name of their God. Behead those who do not believe as they do. These are your heroes? If the Taliban turned over Bin Laden as they were asked to do in 2001, we wouldn't be there. So, you're a bottom feeding puts as ignorant as they come. Go preach yor inane garbage elsewhere.

Can't fight against your correct stament to the cowards who have alot to moan about yet can't even bend over to tie there shoes. There the one's that would cowar behind you or me if they ever met up with them. I would love to run them over with my Harley.

Jerry if you fought in any of Our wars We thank you!!! I lose a lot of My Brothers in the Vietnam wars so I know how you feel... We fought for the rights of all the Free people of the World not just for us!!! That is what makes up better than the others that never fought for Freedom...

Just a minor correction – we should only try and clean up the mess we have here. There is no need to teach anyone else anything because guess what, they are smarter out there than you are here. This is another fact they won't disclose to you.
If a country that is not even 250 years old tries to 'teach' thousands of years old civilizations, that doesn't really add up. Just because you have no exposure of truth and reality doesn't mean its a jungle out there. On the contrary, all that you see as progress today is knowledge and experience thats been generated over thousands of years input from good people. Some you took as part of the natural cycle of human development and progress, most you simply stole.

Silhouette, Don't try to paint the Afghan culture as some great ancient society that the rest of the world owes something to. These people live in dirt and trash. Most of them are illiterate. And they barely get along with each other let alone outside of their own tribal area. This area has been utter chaos and dissaray long before the western world was even discovered. Afghanistan is the product of thousands of years of war. Your 2000 year society has the same mentality and world view for the past 2000 years. That is not progress. Say what you will about the west, but if there are any hopes for progress and prosparity for the Afghan people, the Taliban should not be in the picture.

Silhouette,3000 years ago, the area was Indian Hill tribes (anamists)...then Buddhist culture, Then Greeks and Macedonians and their culture, then Huns, then Arabs, then Turks, then Mongols, Persians, etc., etc., etc. Currently their are three main ethnic groups. The groups in control prior to the NATO invasion despised all of the previous cultures, rejected them, destroyed them, rejected anything western or even moderate from Islam. So, who are you talking about.

I'm not a fan of Nato but those cursed drones are only killing individuals who are actively planning suicide bombs and roadside bombs which by the way kill more innocent people than the drones ever will.

While we're at it, how about the tank that kills another from 5000m? The helicopter that kills from a mile away? A drone is just being operated from thousands of miles away to keep pilots out of harms way. The people that fly them are fighter pilots that would otherwise be dropping bombs. I see why you quit listening to western "propaganda". It's because you bought the drivel the brave Taliban and al Quaeda that execute pregnant women and hang seven year boys as spies want you to believe. Do us a favor and go, as one suggested and find out for yourself. Hell, I'd sacrifice you too. If we're ever anywhere a grenade rolls in I'm throwing you on it! Turd!

Have you seen the new Long Endurance Multi-Intelligence Vehicles the military have developed, it can watch from the sky for three weeks at a time. Imagine that combined with Predators it would be unbeatable.

Drones, yes.. highttec, highcost pilot savers. its the integenceunits who give these drones the shotpoints and targets who are to blame. not the machine itself. the taliban forces seems to be somesort of fieldcrovers and in that area you probaply get an ak47 when you grow 15years old. its good machine at the desert area like they have chosen to live. but its just the of blastting everything like houses and cars and stuff, of course there maybe can be one or two taleban fighters but also familymembers, innocent people. and the blast is choosing who kill but just all and everything – army style.

@Jerry To be free of the "propaganda", you'd have to go there and seek out a group of Taliban fighters personally. Report back on how you were treated if you can get word out without being executed and robbed as a spy – especially report on how any foreign mujahadin leading their group treat you as an English speaking civilian that probably can't recite the Koran by memory. Be sure to bring your wife/girlfriend along in order to get a woman's personal perspective as well so we can dispel that propaganda too.

I'm so sure you are right – I'd be willing to risk your life to find out.

What you follow here is the worst kind of mental block you will ever experience in the world, dude. Just because they have created broad immoral boundaries for you to live within and not question anything as long as you can 'score' chicks or drugs or easy money for no core skills (which by the way is due to sucking up resources from all over the world and hand feeding this dumb breed here), doesn't mean you actually figured it all out.

Learn about stuff before you make up your ignorant mind about anything.

But most importantly, simply get the hell out of other people's countries and stop the massacre. You are not wanted anywhere with your superior ammo, empty hearts and cowardly tactics.

yeah!!no sharia law here! just christian taliban laws. good arguement u moron. the united states christian taliban dictate everything here. that must stop then u can point your finger at OTHER religions/beliefs

Yeah, we only kill in tne name of democracy, a concept that has never been known in that part of the world going back to 30,000 years.

And good thing we don't rule with religion or it would be like another crusades in that region.
Hey, come to think of it, it is exactly like another crusade, except in this century it was led by the United States and not the self-righteous Europeans.

Dude, don't you read the papers? Didn't you know that when the Moors crossed over into Spain in 711 and held most of it for about 700 years, this was our fault. We caused it with our "failed foreign-policy", mostly that of the Bush administration. But don't worry about the chronological problems with that position, since our country wouldn't even exist for another 1,000 years AFTER the Islamic invasion of Spain. Don't be fooled into thinking that the Quran was a call to world domination and a set of strategies and tactics to achieve it long before westernism existed. No, just believe that the ring of fire around the Islamic world is always "the other guy's fault". Talk about drunken reasoning.

I hear the talk about both Religions and I really don't see much difference in either!!! You People say Your Religion Preaches LOVE??? All I see is hate coming from both sides... At Least the People that follow the Jewish Religion try to live by GODS LAWS!!! Not all do it but they aren't as bad as the Muslin and Christian... At least We don't try to change everyone to believe in Our faith!!! That is a lot more than I can say about either of Yours...

The real issue is that this is not new information. Ap, Reuters and others have known for some time that most civilian casualties were not caused by NATO. However, it does not make the bash the establishment, anti-war point.

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Afghanistan Crossroads is where CNN's reporting converges -- bringing you a diversity of voices, stunning images and video, global perspectives and the latest news from on the ground in Afghanistan and around the world.